Conveyer.



PATENTED DEC. 13, 1904;.

W. T. JAMES.

GUNVEYER.

APPLIOATIOH FILED AUG. as, 1903.

2 SHEETB SlIEET 1.

NO MODEL.

No. 777,8'75. PATENTED DEC. 13, 1904. W. T. JAMES.

CONVEYER.

AYPLIOATION FILED AUG. 25. 1903.

N0 MODBL- 2snms-snm z.

Patented December 13, 190%.

PATENT OFFICE.

l VILLIAM T. JAMES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CQNVEYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 777,375, dated December 13, 1904;.

Application filed August 25,1903. Serial No. 170,678. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern/,-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. Jana, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and Useful Improvements in Conveyers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to ap iaratus for continuous conveyers such as those composed of series of links carrying buckets or other means for moving freight, and particularly to the structure and articulation of the conveyer links. The objects of the invention are, to provide a monobar conveyer link consisting of a single piece provided at its two ends with means for articulation with other similar links in various positions; to provide a conveyer chain composed of integral links containing in themselves all the necessary parts for attachment to each other and to the conveyor flights, and for oiling them; to provide a convenient form of monobar conveyer link adapted to attach various kinds of conveyer flights and also adapted to universal movement in any planes desired; to provide a superior form of monobar conveyer link having means for securely attaching several links together with out the use of extraneous parts; to provide a superior conveyer link adapted equally for single strand and double strand conveyers and to various positions of attachment of the conveyer flights; and to generally increase the strength, eflicieney, and adaptability, and improve the structure of conveyers.

The above objects, together with other advantages which will hereinafter appear, 1 attain by means of the construction, and assemblage of parts as illustrated in preferred forms in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a top plan view of a series of monobar conveyer links provided with flanges for the attachment of the buckets;

Figure 2 is an outside elevation of the links shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an inside elevation of the links shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4: is an enlarged central horizontal section through one of the links, on line (4) of Figure 2, showing the connection with the next link;

Figure 5 is a plan View of a double strand. conveyer composed of my ilIlDlOWitl links as provided with a hanging bucket adapted to drag, or to lift without turning from vertical;

Figures 6 and 7 are respectively a horizontal central section, and an outside elevation of one of the links of Figure 5;

Figures 8 and 9 are respectively a top plan view and an inside elevation of a form of the monobar links provided with wide flanges for the purpose of attaching flat flights thereon;

Figures 10 and 11 are respectively a top plan and a side elevation of a pair of links provided with joints turned alternately at right angles to each other, for use in a conveyer which moves in two planes at right angles to each other.

in order to adapt the conveyer to the various uses to which I put my invention, I provide nionobar links which, when connected with other links of similar sort, form complete the conveyer chain and do not require to be placed in double strands nor to have cross connections between the two strands in order to form the articulations oi the chain of flights or buckets. The links are designed equally for general use in double strands and for single strand conveyers.

1n the form shown in Figures 1 to 4, the improved conveyer link comprises the main body 21 which is provided at one end with a hollow stud 22 and at the other end with a collar 23 which is also tubular and is oil-set at 29 from the plane of the link about the thickness of the body, as will appear from Figure 4. The stud 22 of one link lits within the collar 23 or the next succeeding one and is retained in place therein by means of the nut 25 which has a screw thread 'litting inside the stud 22. Inside the stud is a space (26) which may be used for oiling purposes, being packed with waste which is pressed inward by means of a spring and disk 27. Around the outside of the collar 23, .l prefer to place a washer 24:, which may, when desired, be a wheel for supporting the chain upon its track.

All the moving parts may be oiled by means of the opening 28 in the stud, as will be evident.

Each of the links of the conveyer chain is provided with a rib 30 which may be of any desired form and size and may be used for attaching various kinds of conveyer buckets or flights between the links. The form shown in Figure 1 is designed to be used with a series of cross bars lyingbetween two strands of chain, and a form is shown in Figure 8 which is better adapted to the use of flat boards attached thereto which may be fastened between the broad flanges 30 bymeans of bolts inserted through the holes 34: as appears from said figure.

In Figure 5, I have illustrated a form of conveyer in which the links 21 are provided with supplementary studs 23 placed about midway of the links and used to carry the bucket or drag-31 which is provided with socketed heads 82, attached to the link by means of pins 33. This form is very useful in cases where it is desired to drag the material horizontally, or to lift articles such as barrels, keeping them upright on the hanging bucket 31.

In Figures 10 and 11, I have illustrated a form of link which is useful in case the chain is desired to travel in two planes, as where a pair of shafts are used which revolve at right angles to each other, being used in order to carry the material both horizontally and vertically. It will be understood, of course, that the link 21 is provided with a collar 23 and a hollow stud 22 just as before, the only difference being that the link is given a half turn so that the line of the joints in the two ends stand at right angles to each other.

The described forms of the monobar link may be further varied as will be understood, the essential feature of the device being the use of a single link which contains in itself all the necessary parts to join several links together so that it may be used indiiferently as a single strand or double strand conveyer and may have any desired form of flight attached to it, and by means of the twisting, may be made to pass around supporting drums situated in any position desired. Various other advantages of the devices will readily occur to those familiar with their use.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is the following:

1. A single-strand conveyer chain comprising a monobar link provided at one end with a stud and at the opposite end with a sleeve to interlock with the stud of the next preceding link, the stud and sleeve projecting on one side beyond the line of the link, substantially as described.

2. A conveyer comprising a series of similar links each of which is provided with a hollow pivot stud and a hollow sleeve made integral with the body of the link, and projecting on the same side, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. A conveyer link comprising a body portion having a projecting hollow pivotal stud at one end and at the other end an offset ear on the same side provided with a collar to cooperate with the stud of the next preceding link, and means for securing said links together, substantially as described.

4. A conveyer comprising a series of links each of .which is provided at one end with a hollow pivot stud and at the other end with an oflset ear and collar and means for retain ing said collar on the said stud of the next preceding link, substantially as described.

5. A single strand conveyer link provided at one end with a projected bearing pin and at the other end, on the same side of the link, with a laterally offset bearing collar, said pin having means thereon for engaging and retaining it in the collar ofthe next succeeding link.

6. A conveyer comprising a series of straight bar links provided with laterally projecting bearing studs and collars at their respective ends, out of alinement with the body of the links, and each link having thereon means for retaining one of said bearing studs within the bearing sleeve of the next succeeding link, substantially as described.

7. A conveyer comprising a series of links articulated upon bearings all offset laterally at the same sides of the links and having removable means in the bearings for retaining said bearings in place, substantially as described.

8. A conveyer link provided with an oil chamber in the pivot end thereof and means for retaining the pivot end in a bearing in the next succeeding link, substantially as described.

9. A joint for conveyer links comprising a laterally offset hollow pin on one link and a laterally ofl'set collar on the other link fitting upon the first mentioned hollow pin, a roller or washer surrounding said sleeve and a screw nut to retain the two links together, and an oil space inside said hollow pin with means for oiling the joints of the bearing, substantially as described.

10. A single-strand conveyer comprising a series of alined links provided at one end with a laterally projecting pivot and at the other end with a laterally projecting ofl'set sleeve on the same side with the pivot and said link being strengthened longitudinally by integral laterally projecting ribs, said ribs furnishing support for conveyer flights thereon, substantially as described.

11. A conveyer link comprising a flat bar having at one end and integral therewith a laterally projecting hollow bearing pin, and at the other end and integral therewith a laterally ofl'set ear on the same side as the pin and provided with a projecting sleeve, whereby the. series of links lie in alinernent.

12. A conveyer link provided with a bearing pin thereon made hollow and closed by a screw cap provided with an oil opening for the bearing.

13. A conveyer link provided with an inte gral bearing collar and a supporting wheel for the conveyer chain mounted upon said collar, and a projecting pin upon the next succeeding link having a bearing inside said collar, and means for oiling the hearing.

In testimony whereof I have hereunder signed my name in the presence 01 the two subscribed witnesses.

WILLIAM 1. JAMES.

Witnesses:

PAUL CARPENTER, CHAS. 1-1. EBERT. 

